The Women's Torrentshell Jacket by Patagonia goes from the perpetual drip of a rain forest trek, to the flash-bang of an afternoon thunderstorm in the mountains, this lightweight waterproof shell jacket is built for trekking and hiking in bad conditions. Tropical rain forests share at least one thing with the Patagonia Ice Cap: wet weather.

For trekking and hiking in drenching conditions, Patagonia's new Torrentshell provides 2.5-layer waterproof/breathable protection that's durable, lightweight and without frills. The jacket stuffs into one of two zippered handwarmer pockets (and has a clip-in loop); the hood fits snugly over a helmet, rolls down, stows away, and has a laminated visor; and the center zipper has exterior and interior storm flaps.

With pit zips for added ventilation, a microfleece-lined neck and chin and a drawcord hem.

I live in Vancouver, BC and here during the spring, we have a lot of rain showers (and when I mean a lot, I mean over two consecutive weeks of it) and 10 Celcius weather.

I desperately needed a jacket that could withstand this sort of constant storm, but at the same time, something modern and practical. This jacket really has served this purpose and I would recommend it to anyone else!

A bonus would've been a zip up breast pocket, but the jacket does fine without it.

I bought this for my daughter who is a petite size 8. She absolutely loved it and has worn it everyday since she got it. It looks fantastic on her and she says it is so nice to be able to stay warm without wearing a bulky, heavy coat.

My husband got one for a gift a couple of years ago, and he loves it; so of course, I wanted one, also. As red is my favorite color, I'm very happy the jacket comes in red, so he bought it for me as a gift. Received the jacket, then we had 4-5 days of torrential rainstorms, so I got the chance to wear the jacket. I'm VERY pleased with it. Wish Patagonia had pants to match, or a torrentshell coat.

So far I have only tested its windproofness, which is perfect. It fits well, sized right for a rainjacket - I wear XS and I can fit a couple or 3 layers underneath no problem. Ladies jacket looks good, not boxy. The turquoise color is nice. The fabric is a bit noisy, so probably not an everyday jacket. The construction looks like it should hold up well in wet conditions.

This is a great, no-frills rain jacket. All of the features seem well thought out, like the micro fleece lined neck. Also, it has fewer seams than other jackets in its price range, so it stays dry. Considering its made by Patagonia, it should hold up well too.